Chapter 52: The Beauty of the Shell

The stream water gurgled.

Wood burned, and white smoke rose, incredibly pungent. Zora sat by the fire, staring into the flames in a daze. Vane sat opposite her, holding a fish on a wooden skewer, skillfully roasting it over the fire.

Slowly, the smoke drifted with the breeze toward Zora, slipping into her throat and brushing the tip of her nose. She immediately covered her nose, her brow furrowing slightly.

The moment Zora covered her nose, Vane glanced up at her. He stood up, his black hem fluttering as he composedly moved to sit to her left.

The smoke from the burning wood was too choking; without a second thought, Zora used a minor spell to conjure a light breeze. The breeze instantly shifted direction. She had cast the spell instinctively toward the wind, causing the white smoke to billow rapidly in the opposite direction—right toward where Vane had been sitting a moment ago.

Vane watched the white smoke engulf his previous seat without moving a muscle. He lowered his eyes, appearing entirely unbothered, and flipped the fish over.

Zora continued to prop up her chin in a daze, though this time her eyes were fixed on the fish. There were no seasonings here—but he had them.

Vane calmly took out Sichuan peppercorns and salt from his storage bag. Originally, he also had some plums to add a sour tang, but Zora disliked sour flavors immensely. If she happened to eat something sour, her face would wrinkle into a ball of sheer distaste. Thus, he only sprinkled salt and peppercorns before handing the fish to her.

Zora took it; the fish was steaming, emitting a faint sizzling sound. She took a few careful bites—the skin was crispy and the meat tender. Moreover, there were only large bones; the tiny, troublesome ones were gone.

Zora chewed slowly for a few moments; indeed, she didn't encounter a single small bone.

Vane spoke at the right time: "The bones have been picked out."

He wasn't naturally inclined to such delicate operations, but while roasting, he remembered that this type of fish was full of fine bones. He had lowered his eyes, rotating the fish, and thought for a moment. He could make spiritual power perform all sorts of tricks; in the past, he could even act as a scouting dog, so picking bones was naturally no difficulty.

Zora nodded and finished it bit by bit. The stick had been scraped smooth, its sharp tip broken off so it wouldn't poke her. She didn't eat the head or the eyes and finished quickly. Vane took the stick and handed her a handkerchief.

Zora wiped her mouth and hands, offering a suggestion to her servant: "It didn't soak in enough. Only the skin had flavor; the meat didn't."

Vane nodded: "I understand. I'll change it next time."

The two extinguished the fire and walked back to Floating Cloud Valley to hand in the mission.

The Oracle hadn't actually gone into hibernation. It was feeling exceptionally conflicted. Amidst their silent journey, it spoke up hesitantly: [Host, the villain knows that people are looking for him, saying he can save the Demon Realm. What if he goes to investigate?]

If the plot moves forward early and the host isn't ready, what then!

Zora: "?"

Oracle: [...]

Host, have you seriously never considered this problem!?

"Likely not, because it's troublesome," Zora said in her heart.

The paths of Floating Cloud Valley required searching, so flying was difficult; walking was best. Vane walked ahead to clear the path for her, casually swinging his spear to cut through thorns and thickets. Occasionally, when encountering a branch that couldn't be cut, he would hold it back with his spear and turn sideways to look at her, waiting for her to pass before moving on.

Oracle: [What trouble?]

Zora: "The kind of trouble where one dies. If he cares more about his own life, he will refuse."

"Saving the Demon Realm" sounded nice, but it was a dangerous job with one's head tied to their belt. Vane had struggled so hard to escape that pit of fire, and even in the original work, he only reached the final conclusion in order to survive. He’d have to be a fool to truly act as a "savior." Besides, what did the Demon Realm have to do with him?

Zora couldn't understand why it would; she took it for granted that he had to stand on her side. Going to the Demon Realm would have to be because he was forced.

—Because they were master and servant, and she had said not to stand against her, and Vane had agreed.

Oracle: [How can you trust a man's words!]

Zora: "He is a servant first, then a man."

Oracle: [What if he actually does it!]

Zora: "But he promised not to."

Oracle: [How can you trust a villain's words!]

Zora: "Because he is a servant."

The Master-Servant Covenant was still there.

The Oracle was driven to distraction. In some ways, the host was incredibly vigilant with a heart as cold as stone, yet in others, she was exceptionally naive. It truly didn't know how to assist.

...Perhaps the host will find a different path? Definitely! Absolutely!

The Oracle comforted itself, successfully persuaded itself, and then went to hibernate with a peaceful mind.

Zora had her reasons for her judgment, but even after hearing them, the Oracle remained fixated on the "villain" label. It didn't believe such a dazed host could understand the villain so well.

Yet she did understand him; a casual thought was enough to know. Previously she hadn't bothered to think about it, but now that she did, it felt quite novel. The mindsets of master and servant were indeed different, yet neither had any resistance or opposition to the other's thoughts—in fact, they agreed on most things.

She was too lazy to use her voice to persuade others; that wasn't her strength, but it was Vane's forte.

At this thought, Zora looked at Vane in front of her. The youth’s figure was upright, as lean and tall as a bamboo stalk. His movements were efficient to the point of being ruthless. His ponytail swayed right before Zora’s eyes; when he turned slightly, the morning sun danced on his dark lashes, gilding them with a hazy gold. His dark pupils shimmered like gemstones.

He truly possessed an excellent shell, and his bone structure was top-tier. Everyone said Vane was handsome, possessing a face unique and unrivaled in the cultivation world. Zora didn't care about beauty or ugliness, but that didn't mean she couldn't distinguish them.

He turned sideways, but she didn't pass. Vane looked at her. Zora was looking up, staring straight at his face. There was no lust or desire, only curious observation.

"..."

He was stunned for a moment, yet strangely wanted to avoid her gaze. He couldn't tell if the thought in that instant was a mysterious shyness or something else.

The moment Vane looked away, Zora took a few steps forward. Except she moved with Vane, not following the original path but leaning in front of him to continue staring straight at him from close range. Like she was looking at a flower, without a shred of embarrassment.

Vane: "..."

His spear was still holding back a branch. He was forced to lock eyes with Zora. She tilted her head back to look at him; though her gaze held no stray thoughts, he felt as if he were being scorched by it, sensing the intense weight of her vision.

But Vane quickly recovered. He knew himself well and was even better at utilizing his appearance. How to smile to make his seniors think he was kind and good; how to smile to make others feel he had no evil intent and was perfectly upright. Thus, after a few breaths of pause, he offered a slight smile.

A sliver of radiance happened to reflect in his eyes, not a bit more or less. The curve of his lips was at the most attractive angle. It was filled with a sense of willing submission and an unconsciously radiating youthful affection—beautiful enough to make one unable to look away.

Zora was very surprised, letting out a flat "Ah." She watched seriously for a while longer. Vane stood as still as a beautiful painting, allowing her to admire him. Once Zora was finished, she continued walking forward.

Vane paused, retracted his spear, and also moved forward to continue clearing the path. On the surface, both were exceptionally calm. Neither were chatterboxes, making the atmosphere silent but not oppressive. Their aura was harmonious to the point of being comfortable, and now there was a faint, subtle undercurrent.

Or perhaps it was only surging within him.

Vane held back a branch and watched her pass. He watched her back in silence for a moment before retracting his spear and moving to the front again. After a long while, Zora suddenly said, "Do it again."

Vane was taken-back, but after reacting, he immediately understood what she meant. "But the sunlight is at a different angle here; it might not be exactly the same."

"It doesn't matter." Zora walked in front of him, standing very close, watching with such focus she didn't even blink.

Vane: "..."

He looked down at her. He could even see the tiny pupils within her eyes. The youth paused; he wanted to smile as he had just now, but for some reason, he couldn't do it. It grew more difficult each time. He was clearly a master of such things, and he had indeed thought of using his appearance to make her happy, but being stared at by Zora—being known by her that he was calculating the curve of his smile—he mysteriously couldn't do it anymore.

Zora didn't know these complex youthful thoughts. She urged him: "Be faster."

The youth’s lashes lowered. He glanced elsewhere for a moment as if avoiding her gaze, his lips pursed tightly. After a while, he looked back, meeting Zora’s gaze which seemed to be waiting for a performance. She was very solemn, examining his face with novelty.

"..."

Vane couldn't help but give a small laugh. There was no meticulously designed curve; it was natural.

Zora watched for a moment and suddenly asked: "You look different than before."

"Likely because life has been good, and my features have filled out with age," Vane said.

"Really?"

"Yes... what is different?"

"You're better looking now. I observed carefully for a while; there isn't much difference from before, yet you've just become better looking."

Vane's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly suppressed it. He looked into Zora's pure eyes and said: "Perhaps... it's because we have been together for a long time. Even as master and servant, there is affection. If there is feeling, regardless of the other's appearance, one always thinks better of them in their heart."

"Is that so?" Zora thought about it. She hadn't had long-term friends in her original world, so she had no way of knowing. "Fine, then Senior Sister Turi, Yiling Ke, and Senior Brother Song must be the same."

"...One could also say that after being together harmoniously for a long time, they become more pleasing to the eye. One cannot rule out the reason that their features truly changed; after all, subtle shifts can make a person look entirely refreshed."

Zora gave an "oh," and having understood new knowledge, she walked on. Vane followed behind her. This was a flat stretch of road that no longer required him to clear the path. The youth in black, following behind Zora, suddenly used the narrow, bright face of his spear tip to reflect a small portion of his face. His dark eyes were flat, as if looking at a dead object, calmly measuring with his gaze.

He had indeed filled out a lot compared to before.

...But being together day and night, she shouldn't have noticed the change.

Perhaps she had simply noticed his appearance suddenly and gained a clear awareness of it, which naturally allowed her to notice him more than her previous indifferent attitude. As for why she suddenly noticed—who knows? Even among the youths of the mortal world, noticing romantic feelings happens in an instant during the growth process.

His gaze lingered on the surface of the spear tip for a moment before moving away. Vane viewed his own shell as he would a genuine object, to be sold at the right price. He was used to treating himself this way; it made it more convenient for him to disguise himself in the cultivation world.

However, he still couldn't tell: exactly which part of his appearance did she like? Which kind of smile?

Zora stopped her pace: "We're here."

Vane stood beside her as the entrance array of Floating Cloud Valley activated. He stole an unobtrusive glance at Zora, moving his eyes away the moment before she looked over, his gaze exceptionally calm.

As Floating Cloud Valley manifested, Vane was even still thinking:

—If I didn't find out this time, I should pay more attention next time.

The thought was so natural that the youth didn't notice the joy behind it. He simply followed her toward the depths of Floating Cloud Valley, feeling that every plant and tree in the valley looked increasingly pleasing to the eye.